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Staff Report
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Report To: Planning and Development Committee
Date of Meeting: December 7, 2020 Report Number: PSD-053-20
Submitted By:
Reviewed By:
File Number:
Faye Langmaid, Acting Director of Planning and Development Services
Andrew C. Allison, CAO
PLN17.1.6
By-law Number:
Resolution#: PD-209-20
Report Subject: Environmental Stewardship Program - 2020 Annual Report
Recommendations:
1. That Report PSD-053-20 be received; and
2. That all interested parties and any delegations be advised of Council's decision.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-053-20
Report Overview
Page 2
Council provides annual funding for an ongoing Environmental Stewardship Program. The
program encourages citizens and groups to carry out initiatives that improve municipal lands,
such as valleylands and natural areas. Since 2011, a key component of this program has
included the replanting of trees along rural roads. The benefits of the program go beyond the
monetary value of the projects, and include ecological enhancement, climate change
mitigation, community beautification, preservation of historical landscapes, education and
research, and community engagement through volunteerism. In 2020, the Environmental
Stewardship Program continued to support the Trees for Rural Roads initiative, contributing
to the planting of 588 saplings and 50 shrubs along rural roads in Clarington.
1. Background
1.1. Beginning in 2002, Council has provided annual funding for an ongoing Environmental
Stewardship Program. When approving projects for funding, Staff review projects to
ensure general public benefit, matching in -kind contributions (labour and/or materials),
and how a project meets the long-term objectives of the Municipality.
1.2. The purpose of this report is to inform Council of how the funds were used in 2020.
2. 2020 Stewardship Projects
Trees for Rural Roads
2.1. In 2012, Clarington initiated the Trees for Rural Roads (TRR) program in partnership
with Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) and Ganaraska Region
Conservation Authority (GRCA). The goal of the program is to plant trees along country
roads for the benefit of the environment and local communities. Increasing tree canopy
cover improves wildlife habitat and enhances environmental services, including carbon
sequestration and cooling of roadways, while preserving the historical rural aesthetics of
the area.
2.2. The TRR program is announced through articles in local newspapers, the planning E-
update and the Municipal website and social media. Trees are offered free of charge to
rural residents to be planted on private property adjacent to municipal roadways.
Participants have their choice of native tree species, including sugar, silver and red
maples, white pine, white spruce, white birch, and red and white oak.
2.3. Applications are reviewed by the applicable Conservation Authority staff to ensure
planting locations support the intent of the program, do not conflict with infrastructure,
and trees have an appropriate separation from each other and from the road.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-053-20
Page 3
2.4. The 2020 application intake window ran from January 15 to March 31 and was quickly
followed by the distribution of 588 saplings to 46 rural property owners throughout
Clarington (Attachment 1 — Map of the roadways planted to date).
2.5. To support property owners who have site limitations that restrict their ability to plant
trees (e.g. overhead utilities), a native shrub pilot project was trialled as part of the 2020
TRR program. Three native shrub species, Nannyberry, Highbush Cranberry and
Serviceberry, were made available. The provision of shrubs was at the discretion of the
Conservation Authority. In total, 50 shrubs were distributed to six property owners
throughout Clarington (incorporated into Attachment 1 — Map of the roadways planted to
date).
2.6. Due to COVID-19 and the emergency declaration called by the Province on March 17,
2020, modifications to the traditional approach for tree distribution were necessary. A
contactless drop-off service was provided, delivered by Staff from Community Services.
Staff practiced appropriate social distancing when loading and delivering plants and
were not approached by any program participants.
Figure 1 Staff practicing social distancing when loading and delivering plants
2.7. Since 2013, the TRR program has received partial funding through Maple Leaves
Forever, a registered charity that advocates and supports the planting of native
Canadian maples across the rural and urban landscape of southern Ontario. Native
maples were subsidized at a rate of one third of the purchase price of the planting stock.
Municipality of Clarington Page 4
Report PSD-053-20
2.8. A feedback survey of TRR program participants is undertaken in order to help improve
the program for future years. The 2020 survey respondents indicated that they were
very satisfied with the program, planting information and delivery. In addition, several
positive comments and appreciation was expressed for the adaption of the program in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall the response and satisfaction of rural
residents with this program and its goals is very positive. In September, overall survival
rate appeared to be in the 75 to 80% range for saplings, with coniferous species
generally coping with the dry summer better than the deciduous species. Overall
survival rate of shrubs appeared to be in the 80 to 100% range, with more Highbush
Cranberry being lost than any other type of shrub.
Figure 2: Delivery team member with healthy conifers
Municipality of Clarington Page 5
Report PSD-053-20
2.9. In September 2020 the five Conservation Authorities in Durham Region submitted a
proposal to the Region of Durham to develop and implement a region -wide rural tree
planting program, using the TRR program as a template. The submission proposes that
the Conservation Authorities in Durham Region coordinate their efforts to build
relationships with rural landowners to identify tree planting sites, source and distribute
suitable trees, leverage funding from a variety of sources, and track and report on the
success of the program. Program implementation would be administered by the
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority. If approved, program development is
targeted to proceed in Spring 2021.
Other Projects
2.10. In 2020, a request for support from the Environmental Stewardship Program was
received from the GRCA to help address and stop the spread of Japanese Knotweed
along a reach of Foster Creek in Newcastle. Working in collaboration with the Public
Works Department and the Conservation Authority, a management plan and treatment
schedule was established with costs being allocated through the Municipality's existing
invasive species management budget.
2.11. At the time of writing this report, an additional funding request was received from
CLOCA to support the purchase of a Biotactic Fish Counter for the Bowmanville Creek
Fishway. The fish counter would provide real time data on the type, number and rates
of fish passage through the system. It would support the monitoring and management
of this important cold -water creek system, supplement spring and fall spawning counts
undertaken by the Bowmanville Creek Conservation Group and contribute to a growing
provincial network of fishway monitoring systems actively followed by anglers,
fisherman and other conservationists. This funding request will be considered for
commitment as part of the 2021 program.
Figure 3: Biotactic Fish Counter Demonstration in the Bowmanville Fishway (2016)
Municipality of Clarington Page 6
Report PSD-053-20
3. Concurrence
Not Applicable.
4. Conclusion
4.1. The Environmental Stewardship Program in Clarington is an initiative that has been well
received in the community. Since 2002, over $180,000 has been invested in numerous
projects; however, the value of the in -kind contributions multiplies the benefits many
times over. The benefits go well beyond the monetary value of the projects to include
ecological enhancement, climate change mitigation, community beautification,
preservation of historical landscapes, education and research, and community
engagement through volunteerism.
4.2. Tree planning initiatives, such as the TRR program, increase the Municipality's
resilience to climate change by helping to cool both urban and rural areas. Trees also
sequester carbon from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gasses that contribute to
climate change. Staff continue to work diligently to develop the Clarington Corporate
Climate Action Plan (CCAP), to identify specific actions that the Municipality can take to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the risks associated with climate change.
The CCAP is expected to be complete in February 2020. The Municipality's tree
planting programs are a tangible way for the Municipality can continue to work to
respond to climate change.
4.3. Clarington "led the way" with the introduction of the TRR program in 2012. Since then,
the program has been adopted and adapted by other local municipalities and continues
to garner interest.
Staff Contact: Amy Burke, Acting Manager - Special Projects, 905-623-3379 x2423 or
aburke@clarington.net.
Attachment:
Attachment 1 — Trees for Rural Roads Map of Planting 2012-2020
The following interested parties will be notified of Council's decision:
Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority